Randy Lerner's right-hand man has dismissed recent reports of a rift between the Aston Villa owner and manager Martin O'Neill.
Speculation on Tuesday claimed that O'Neill had quit his position at Villa Park, with bookmakers slashing the odds on the Northern Irishman being the next Premier League manager to leave his post.
O'Neill was rumoured to be unhappy with the transfer budget on offer for the summer before sources at the club dismissed the claims as 'pure nonsense'.
And the club's non-executive director General Charles Krulak has moved to quash any notion of a breakdown in the relationship between O'Neill and Lerner.
"Questions about Randy and Martin and their relationship are simply the result of speculation - not based on fact at all," said Krulak in the Daily Mail.
The reports had suggested O'Neill would have to 'sell to buy' at the end of the season if he wanted to reinforce his Villa squad.
O'Neill has spent heavily over the past two summers, but there was a distinct lack of activity during the January transfer window.
Craig Gardner was sold to local rivals Birmingham City for £3million, while O'Neill was unable to add to his ranks for the second half of the season.
